Shinotsuku Ame (篠突く雨 – Intense Rain)

Both

English

Japanese

Unfortunately, today’s weather is “shinotsuku ame” (篠突く雨).

今日の天候は「篠突く雨」です。

“Shinotsuku ame” means a pelting rain as much as it could pierce the ground.

「篠突く雨」とは、地面に突き刺さるように激しく降る雨のことを意味します。

The “shino” (篠) is “shinodake” (篠竹), which means small bamboo, and the “tsuku” (突く) means “prod.”

「篠」は細く群がって生える竹「篠竹」を、「突く」は “” を意味します。

Therefore “shinotsuku” (篠突く) means that you gather small bamboos and prod them to the ground.

このため「篠突く」は、篠竹を束ねて地面に突き下ろすさまを表します。

Also, the “ame” means “rain.”

また、「雨」は “rain” を意味します。

That is to say, “shinotsuku ame” implies a strong and high density rain like gathered small bamboos.

すなわち「篠突く雨」とは、束ねられた篠竹のように、強く細かく降る雨のことを表します。

Although this is a little old-fashioned term and is not used much now, I think that you will be cool if you can use it appropriately.

この言葉は少し古風な表現で現在ではあまり使われませんが、使いこなせると格好良いと思います。